“Dyslexia” is a word that describes someone with a learning difficulty. I recently read a book written by Ronald D. Davis called: “The Gift of Dyslexia.” I really liked the positive attitude Ronald has about people with Dyslexia. He believes that people with Dyslexia has unusual gifts and extraordinary potential. They can be talented in art, drama, music, sports, mechanics, story-telling, sales, business, designing, building, or engineering. (Ron Davis Ronald D. Davis ©1992)
Ronald has developed numerous programmes to assist people with learning problems. He also trains Licensed Davis Fassilitators to present his programmes to those in need.
What is a learning difficulty (Dyslexia)
People with Dyslexia are highly intelligent but they struggle to read or write. They usually know their work when someone ask them to verbally share their answers. It is when they have to read or write down their answers that they struggle.
Common traits of a learning problem (Dyslexia):
- Difficulty with attention span. Can be very busy or are seen as a daydreamer.
- Complaints of dizziness, headaches or stomach aches while reading.
- Confused by letters, numbers, words, sequences, or verbal explanations.
- Reading or writing shows repetitions, additions, transpositions, omissions, substitutions, and reversals in letters, numbers and/or words.
- Complains of feeling or seeing non-existent movement while reading, writing, or copying.
- Seems to have difficulty with vision, yet eye exams don’t reveal a problem.
- Reads and rereads with little comprehension.
- Spells phonetically and inconsistently.
Difficulty with hearing and speech:
- Extended hearing; hears things not said or apparent to others; easily distracted by sounds.
- Difficulty putting thoughts into words; speaks in halting phrases; leaves sentences incomplete; stutters under stress; mispronounces long words, or transposes phrases, words, and syllables when speaking.
Difficulty with writing and motor skills:
- The trouble with writing or copying; pencil grip is unusual; handwriting varies or is illegible.
- Clumsy, uncoordinated, poor at ball or team sports; difficulties with fine and/or gross motor skills and tasks; prone to motion-sickness.
- Can be ambidextrous, and often confuses left/right, over/under.
Difficulty with math and time management:
- Has difficulty telling time, managing time, learning sequenced information or tasks, or being on time.
- Computing math shows dependence on finger counting and other tricks; knows answers, but can’t do it on paper.
- Can count, but can has difficulty counting objects and dealing with money.
- Can do arithmetic, but fails word problems; cannot grasp algebra or higher math.
Difficulty with memory:
- Excellent long-term memory for experiences, locations, and faces.
- Poor memory for sequences, facts, and information that has not been experienced.
- Thinks primarily with images and feeling, not sounds or words (little internal dialogue).
Feedback that they receive from other people includes:
- “You don’t try hard enough.
- ”You are lazy.”
- “You make careless mistakes.”
- “You have a behaviour problem.”
Emotionally the person with a learning problem (Dyslexia) experiences.
- Gradually become more and more anxious when they see that their peers understand things a lot quicker than them.
- Dread going to school because they don’t want to be faced with the constant battle of keeping up and trying to decode the confusions they experience.
- Feel inadequate and try to compensate by covering up their weaknesses.
- They experience fear of being called or seen as stupid.
- Secretly they call themselves stupid on a daily basis.
- Constantly hear teachers discuss their failures with parents.
- Feels they are a disappointment to their parents.
- Constantly compares themselves with peers, friends, and siblings.
- They are very hard working and feels misunderstood when they constantly hear from teachers and some parents that they are lazy and need to work harder.
- Does’nt always offer solutions or opinions on matters because they fear their “different view” of things will be dismissed and people will laugh at them. When in fact, their different viewpoint is most times what is needed.
Where to get help
Usually teachers pick up on the possibility of a learning difficulty (Dyslexia). They will refer the child to someone like an Educational Psychologist, Occupational Therapist. Once the diagnosis is confirmed decisions can be made regarding choice of school, concessions, and other practical help.
These students qualify for certain consessions like, extra time durning exams and tests or having a reader and scribe.
Ron Davis also trains Licenced Davis Facilitators that assist the child or adult with a learning difficulty (Dyslexia). Find a licenced facilitator in your area and let them share with you the different programms they use to help with learning difficulties (Dyslexia), ADHD, ADD and maths. These are highly specialized programms and are very practical. Find a Licenced Davis Facilitator in your area.
Go to our contact page and send us an email.
Resources used: Author: Michelle Orrico – Licensed Davis Facilitator. http://www.cognitivelearning.co.za Davis Dyslexia Association International
Ron Davis Ronald D. Davis ©1992
Ronald D Davis. 2010. The Gift of Dyslexia: Why some of the brightest people can’t read and how they can learn. Souvenir Press : London.
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